Sponsor Licence Renewal Fee for UK Employers

The sponsor licence renewal fee is the exact cost of the sponsor licence application fee. The following are the renewal application fees as of Autumn 2023.

Page Contents

• How Much Does the Sponsor Licence Renewal Fee Cost?
• When Should I Renew my Sponsor Licence?
• What Are the Documents Required for Renewal Application?
• How Does the Sponsor Licence Renewal Process Work?
• What Happens After Applying?
• Premium Customer Service
• Who Is a Level 1 User?
• What if I Don’t Renew My Sponsor Licence?
• What if I Don’t Want to Continue My Sponsorship Licence?
• What if my sponsor licence renewal is refused?
• How Can IAS Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

You can apply to renew your licence 90 days before your licence expiry date. Always stay updated with the sponsor guidance to stay informed on any changes.

The Home Office will notify you 120 calendar days before your licence expires to prepare you for renewal. The notification will indicate the expiry date of your sponsor licence.

The Home Office will send you a second notification 90 calendar days before your licence expires as a reminder to renew your licence. You will keep getting notifications to renew your licence 60, 30, and 14 calendar days before your licence expires.

It is best to begin your licence renewal application early or latest, 30 calendar days before the stipulated expiry date. There could be some delays or challenges during your application, but starting on time will give you enough time to find a solution to your situation without missing the application deadline.

Starting your renewal on time would provide you enough time to reapply if your application is denied. If your licence had expired before the Home Office rejects your application, you will be unable to renew your sponsor licence.

If you don’t renew your licence in time before it expires and you are still interested in sponsoring workers, you will have to make a new sponsor licence application. Pending the time your application is approved, you are no longer a certified sponsor, and the permission of your existing sponsored workers will be cancelled.

Unless the Home Office request additional documents, you only need to submit the documents you used for your sponsor licence application. Appendix A sponsor guidance provides a comprehensive list of supporting documents that all sponsor licence holders need to renew their existing sponsor licence.

Ensure to read the sponsor guidance thoroughly so you don’t miss important information due to changes or updates on the document.

You can renew your sponsor licence through your sponsor management system (SMS) account. However, you will need a Level 1 User to access the licence renewal function. Before that, discuss with your Authorising Officer about renewing your sponsor licence. It is important that the Level 1 User has the consent of your Authorising Officer to send your renewal application.

After sending your renewal application, the Level 1 User must pay your licence renewal fee. The payment mode is online. Immediately after payment, the Level 1 User will print out a summary sheet for your information.

Ensure to pay the appropriate fee. If you are a large sponsor and pay a small sponsor licence fee, your application will be declined and your money refunded. If you are a small or charitable sponsor and pay the large sponsor licence fee, your application will be accepted, and your excess fee will be refunded.

Once you successfully submit your application, you will get an extension on your licence expiry date. This creates enough time to thoroughly review your application and do other assessments before a final decision.

The home office may request the documents you submitted during your initial application for a new sponsor licence. You may also need to provide other documents not included during your initial application. Note that you must submit all requests within five working days to the Sponsor Renewals email address. If you cannot send it online, contact the Home Office for an alternative route to avoid getting penalised.

Failure to submit your documents within the allotted time will result to:

• Reduction or removal of your certificate of sponsorship allocation.
• Downgrading of your sponsor licence to B-rating.
• Suspension of your licence while an investigation is ongoing.
• Cancellation of your licence.

Compliance Check

The Home Office may conduct a compliance check during your renewal application review. This is to ascertain that you have been adhering to all the sponsorship conditions and obligations. Read the sponsor guidance to know your obligations and duties as a sponsor.

What Happens When I Don’t Pass the Compliance Check?

If you don’t pass the compliance check, you will get a penalty depending on your licence rating at the time of your renewal application.

If you are an A-rated sponsor, your application to renew your sponsor licence will be approved. However, it will be downgraded to B-rating. Or your licence will be revoked.

If you are a B-rated sponsor, you will continue to be subject to your sponsorship action plan. The Home Office will pend its final decision on your renewal application until your sponsorship action plan expires.

The Home Office may reduce your certificate of sponsorship (CoS) allocation. It may suspend your licence.

The Home Office may cancel your sponsored workers’ permission to remain in the UK.

Premium customer service is a specialised sponsor service for providing enhanced support to sponsor organisations employing foreign workers.

As a premium customer, you have an account manager assigned to you. The account manager provides bespoke advice and support to getting your sponsor licence and satisfying your immigration needs.

Benefits of Using the Premium Service

The premium services offer the following benefits:

• You will receive personalised advice and assistance with any immigration questions or challenges a premium sponsor may encounter.
• You will be assigned a dedicated and experienced account manager. Account managers possess extensive knowledge and connections required to handle queries on a variety of immigration routes, including, but not limited to, all aspects of the points-based system.
• You will get access to a customised account management portal. You can track and monitor your interactions with your account manager effortlessly.
• You will get opportunities for a specific number of free standard worker application upgrades to priority service yearly.
• You will enjoy other special services and benefits, including events, workshops and training courses.

A Level 1 User is the official responsible for managing your sponsorship activities on a daily basis via the sponsor management system (SMS). You can nominate one Level 1 Users during your sponsor licence application. You are to nominate an employee, director, or partner. You can also appoint your Authorising Officer as your Level 1 User.

If you wish to have more than one Level 1 User, you can nominate more Level 1 User through your SMS account. After nominating, the Home Office will run proper checks on them to see that they are fit for the role before granting them access to the SMS.

Your Level 1 User will carry out the following activities on the SMS:

• Access vital messages from the Home office.
• Add or remove Level 2 Users to the SMS.
• Allocate Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) to your sponsor workers.
• Apply for premium customer service and monitor the progress of your application.
• Change your user detail.
• Inform the Home Office about changes in circumstances on your SMS.
• Inform the Home Office about changes in your work addresses.
• Request for an increase in your CoS limit. That is, the number of CoS you can allot to your prospective employees.
• Report minor changes in your details to the Home Office.
• Report your sponsor workers’ activities to the Home Office, such as workers’ absence from work, emergencies, or unprofessional attitudes.
• Request for more Level 1 Users.
• Withdraw CoS assigned to sponsor workers.
• View information on your licence and Key Personnel.
• Send your sponsor licence renewal application and monitor the progress.

You must renew your sponsor licence if you wish to remain a sponsor. If you don’t renew your existing sponsor licence before its expiry date, your sponsor licence will be revoked. What that means is:

• You no longer have access to your sponsor management system (SMS) account.
• You can’t allocate certificates of sponsorship (CoS) anymore.
• Your sponsored workers’ permission to remain will be reduced to 60 calendar days if their visa is still valid.
• Your information will cease to exist in the register of licensed sponsors.

If you are not interested in continuing your sponsorship, once your existing sponsored workers’ permission expires, you can surrender your licence. For the sake of your existing sponsored workers, you must renew your licence to keep them in your organisation. You don’t need to sponsor new migrant workers.

You are under the mandatory condition to renew your sponsor licence in time before the expiry date when you have workers under your sponsorship.

What if my sponsor licence renewal is refused?

If your sponsor licence renewal is refused by the Home Office in the United Kingdom, it can have serious implications for your ability to continue sponsoring foreign workers or students. Here are the steps to consider if your sponsor licence renewal is refused:

Carefully examine the refusal letter provided by the Home Office. The letter should outline the reasons for the refusal and any specific issues or concerns they have identified. It’s highly advisable to consult with an immigration lawyer or legal expert who specialises in sponsor licence matters. We can help you understand the reasons for the refusal, assess the strength of your case, and provide guidance on your options.

Based on the refusal reasons outlined in the letter and the advice from your legal expert, take steps to address and rectify any issues that led to the refusal. This may involve updating your HR practices, providing additional documentation, or addressing compliance concerns. In some cases, you may have the right to appeal the refusal decision within a specific timeframe. Your legal representative can assist you in preparing and submitting the appeal.

If an appeal is not an option or is unsuccessful, you may need to reapply for the sponsor licence renewal. Ensure that all issues raised in the refusal letter have been resolved before reapplying. During the entire process, it’s crucial to maintain strict compliance with the existing sponsor licence conditions. Failure to do so can have further adverse consequences.

If all else fails, explore alternative immigration routes or options for your foreign workers or students, such as switching to a different sponsor or visa category. Our immigration lawyers can help with this.

How Can IAS Help?

There are many requirements and conditions to acquiring and maintaining a sponsor licence. We have worked with many UK employers to attain sponsor licences and retain them as required.

IAS is a team of immigration solicitors who are experts in all UK immigration routes. Our Advice Package and Application Package will provide you with detailed information and assistance on sponsor licences, sponsor duties, licence renewal, priority processing, mandatory documents, and more.

Visit our website or call us on 0333 305 9375 for immediate help and assistance with your situation. We’re here to help you in person, via the phone, or online.